Crazy Awesome Stardock Spring Sale!!!

Stardock looks like they're gonna have some friggin' great deals going on.



I assume that these will be offered through Impulse, their software downloader (it's just like Steam, but I like it better). I don't think the sale is officially "on" at this time of writing, since I just got the email a few minutes ago and prices aren't listed this low yet (either through Impulse or through GalCiv.com), but hopefully we can see these prices soon.

--EDIT-- it looks like GalCiv.com is now giving the correct price, you just have to click the "Buy" link.

The biggest, most shining deal here is easily Galactic Civilizations II and all the expansions for $10! That's the best space strategy game since Master of Orion, all of its fantastic and unique expansions, and dozens of hours of entertainment all for the price of going out for lunch. And as a bonus, Stardock doesn't use DRM! If you haven't played this one, but you like strategy or you hate Ubisoft's hamfisted methods, do yourself a favor and buy this game!

 

Does SoaSE come with the expansions too? If they do I am definitely buying this when the sale starts.

Edit: Their website already lists the sale, and it doesn't include that many games. And SoaSE doesn't come with the expansions.

 

Honestly, I wasn't too impressed with either expansion to SoaSE. The first one, Entrenchment, just turned it into a turtling game, and I never tried Diplomacy, since it just didn't appeal to me.

Still a great game, though, and worth the $30 for the whole package in my opinion.

 

The only reason I want Entrenchment is to get to play the Star Wars: Requiem mod that adds Alliance and Empire races, with all new ships/frigates/capital ships, voices, music, etc. It looks pretty awesome.

 

Hmmm, I might have to try that! Thanks for the link!

 

whoa, awesome Star Wars mod. Now they just need a Star Trek mod or make it a Star Wars vs Star Trek game, lol.

BTW, I don't see the Galactic Civilizations 2 Ultimte Edition on their website. I have Gal Civ II and Dark Avatar, but might as well get Twilight of the Armor. Do you know if I buy the Ultimate pack if I already own two that I can gift them to someone else?

 

Now I have something else to keep me busy. Demigod seems an interesting game.

 

Those same deals were offered not too long ago as well. Not bad for those interested in trying the games out, especially the most excellent SoaSE, or who've never experienced the great service that is Impulse.

 

I don't know, but you should call/email them and ask! From the time I've spent on their forums, Stardock is super-nice about stuff like this. They really act like a small company who's out to please customers.

I've seen them allow gifting before, and they're also very generous with refunds and such. Gave me a free copy of Space Rangers 2 when I bought the expansion and found it wouldn't work with my D2D copy.

 

i would get demigod as it looks similar to battleforge and i really enjoyed battleforge but I'm too into SC2 beta right now. Void Rays Pwnage!!

 

Sins of a Solar Empire purchased.

 

What's the difference between GalCiv and Sins of a Solar or whatever it's called?

 

Galactic Civilization is a 4x turn based strategy. Sins of a Solar Empire is a real time (albeit slow time) strategy with a lot more depth and scope to it. It's a lovely game. I just have little time to play because it can literally take ten hours to finish a game, depending on the size of the universe. Granted you can save your progress, but it's hard to let go. Wish I had a lot more time to play it.

 

I bought GalCiv II when it first came out and never played it much, didn't understand how the game worked. I basically bought it because Stardock are the good guys in the business with their anti-piracy stance. And it was right around the time I lost a drive to Starforce DRM.

 

I haven't played GalCiv 2 much either. I loved Civ 2 and 4, and always wanted a decent space based game like that. GalCiv 2 is supposed to fit that bill. But I felt I didn't quite get the scope of the game because I could never seem to build enough to do anything of consequence. I just never took the time to learn it. I did play a good number of SoaSE games though. But like I said, it takes a toll on your game time.

 

GalCivII best since MOO?

Did you noobs forget Homeworld?!

 

Homeworld is not a turn based strategy game, and isn't really a 4x.

 

My favorite in this genre goes out to Alpha Centauri.

 

^Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire are my favorite games to date. Still play it to this day. I really, really wish Sid/Firaxis would come out with a sequel or refresh of it.

 

GalCiv is turn-based Space 4X. SoaSE is real-time, and generally only takes place within one or a small handful of solar systems (each with several planets).

GalCiv sets out to be the best of its genre, without breaking any serious ground (though it still breaks some without even trying), and with some of the best AI ever designed (and many levels of difficulty to play at - but the AI never cheats!). SoaSE tries to mix things up and create an innovative, totally new sub-genre. And it works. Mostly.

I've sunk many hours into both games!

If you didn't really get into GalCiv, for whatever reason, you might still want to try out its expansion Twilight of the Arnor (hey, why not? it's cheap!). The expansion drastically changes the game by giving each of the 12 races a unique tech tree and several unique planetary structures, as well as a new gameplay mode, a new campaign and storyline.

 

Bah, online play for DemiGod is hard to find. And it really really feels like DOTA with fancier graphics...

 

The problem with GalCiv is it's so incredibly complicated. It can be simple too, but playing it the "simple way" doesn't give you much reward. Designing your own ships (awesome) can take hours upon hours, but it can also be a huge headache.

I love the fact that a game of SoaSE takes at least 6 hours to complete, and the final battle will usually involve hundreds of ships/frigates/capital ships. Looks beautiful on my 8690.

 

Well, then you'd be happy to know that Twilight of the Arnor adds the option to automatically produce upgraded ship designs with the type of weapons/defense you want it to use!

It ain't perfect, and I usually manually take out a weapon or two to fit an engine on, but it can save lots of time if that's not what you want to spend time on. But then you're not as personally attached to your ship designs...

 

I easily get frustrated while trying to design my own ships. Having to spend an hour designing one, only for something better to be researched (like better miniaturization or a new weapon) in a few turns, can get frustrating. I usually can never get it to look the way I want it to either. Maybe I just suck at designing ships.

 

Well, you can always just add more weapons to the same design and just rename it Mk 2

The game does this for you in Twilight, and will even update production for you so you're not producing obsolete models.

 

Sounds like I need to get Twilight then. And yeah, SoaSE final battles are amazing. So cinematic, and all that time leads to huge battles that are fun to watch without the need for much micro management. The other thing I like about SoaSE is there is no real initial rush so to speak. Defenses are built quickly and cheaply and any early attack would just be futile.

I just hate chasing enemies, that can be a major PITA when you're trying to eliminate a pest. The AI is actually quite good too.

 

I guess I might give that galciv expansion a try, too.

The AI in SoaSE is pretty standard, sometimes predictable, but what they do well is use their resources wisely. All the AI modes can amass HUGE numbers of ships very quickly. I usually have to play catch up when it comes to units. I always try to build as many capital ships (to level them up) and expand as much as I can without exposing myself too much, and then turtle/defend as I stockpile units. It never gets boring.

 

I've enjoyed a few of the challenges in SoaSE (the ones you get "awards" for). I especially liked the one where you have to win using only capital ships (no frigates, no heavies). 16 veteran behemoths facing off against a fleet of 300 frigates with dozens of fighter squadrons is a sight to behold (and a bit taxing on the hardware, but for how well it runs, it really shows how well programmed and optimized the game is!).

 

In my experience the AI seems to favor squadrons. It's a pain in the butt when you jump in your capital ships only to discover they have 50 squadron cruisers. Even maxed out, my capital ships get wiped out. I usually send in my smaller ships first though (especially anti-squadron frigates), wait a few minutes for their units to move near the jump point, and then send in my capital ships.

 

Advent bombers can be scary in large numbers, true. But your own capships come with squadrons, more when you level them, so just max out on fighters and you can hold your own against them. If that doesn't work and you're still getting wiped, find the capital ship their bombers are focusing on and hover it around the jump-point. Jump it when its health is low, and repeat for the next. Do this until their cruisers are gone.

Alternatively, if you're TEC, get a couple Kol Battleships, turn off their ability auto-cast, and flak gun them to death. Vasari's Kortul Devastator Jam Weapons ability is also highly effective. And as Vasari, you should be getting lots of carrier-type capitals anyway, since they're your best healer.

Or you can choose to fight in magnetic storms, or you can use the TEC support capship to magnetize enemy hulls (though arguably this is just taking antimatter away that would be better spent on replenishing shields).

 

Wow you have capital ship names memorized? The only name I remember is... Seeker Vessel? I guess I don't pay attention to details much.

A group of Capital ships should be able to face almost anything, but 100 squadrons from cruisers on the other side of the gravity well can get tough. I failed to mention they come with ranged frigates and other small ships too. I absolutely HATE losing capital ships, so to me, even losing 2 or 3 is me "getting creamed." I don't mind a fleet of frigates getting blown to bits though.

 

HA! Nah, just looked em up real quick for the post. Was quicker than trying to think of a way to describe them .

"The capital ship - you know, the long one, with the big gun, it's got, like, engines, and gun turrets, and a fighter bay, and lasers..."